Good to see my local colony of Coleophora lutarea (Stitchwort Flower Moth) is still going strong - at least a dozen of these little guys fluttering about in the sunshine on Sunday #teammoth

Yep certainly is. I think it’s called Coleophora lutarea nowadays

My first Holly Blue of the year in the garden yesterday. Sightings are normally just a blur in the sky so it was really nice to be able to get close to this female

Caterpillars are about! Elophila nymphaeata
(Brown China-mark) in its home made of pond weed leaf cut-outs and Eriocrania sangii (Purple Spring Jewel) in a leaf mine on birch on Dorset heathlands on Friday #teammoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

📷 Mark Searle

Habitat generalist butterflies tend to be faring better in the UK. Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) had its 4th best yr at @ukbms.bsky.social sites in 2025. It also had its best yr on record in Scotland. In the UK, its numbers are up 87% since 1976, but in Scotland abundance is 566% up this century

Glanville Fritillary had its 3rd best year in 2025 according to the @ukbms.bsky.social results. This species has bucked the general pattern of long-term decline for habitat specialist butterflies in the UK - its numbers have increased by 244% @savebutterflies.bsky.social (📷Mark Searle)

60% of species had an above average year in the 2025 @ukbms.bsky.social results. Purple Emperor (📷 @iainhleach.bsky.social) & Black Hairstreak both had their 2nd best years on record. 🎉

Nice!

Oh dear, sorry to hear that. Grazing is important of course otherwise the grassland will turn to scrub and then woodland, but there should be ways to achieve it without such negative impacts

Two other butterfly species that fared particularly poorly at monitored UK sites in 2025 were Small & Essex Skipper (5th & 6th worst years respectively). Small Skipper had its worst year on record in Wales. Full UK results at ukbms.org/sites/defaul... (📷M.Searle)

I’ve had a lot of Bluesky connectivity problems today

No it doesn’t occur in Ireland

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) also had a poor year in 2025, its 4th worst in 50 years. Its abundance has decreased by 63% at @ukbms.bsky.social sites over that time. @savebutterflies.bsky.social (📷 @iainhleach.bsky.social)

📷 Mark Searle

A deeper dive into the 2025 UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme results. Most species increased at monitored sites compared to 2024, but many were still below average. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) had its 2nd worst year & has decreased by 74% since 1976. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

50 years of data reveal specialist butterflies disappearing across the UK, but the good news is that conservation efforts are making a real difference - helping butterflies isn’t complicated, we can all be part of the solution by making places butterfly-friendly 🦋 @savebutterflies.bsky.social

More than half of Britain’s butterfly species in decline, monitoring scheme shows Warmer weather has benefited some species in Britain, but others that rely on specific plants or habitats have struggled “Insectageddon” has not occurred, but there has been a loss of butterfly diversity over the past half a century, according to the world’s largest insect monitoring scheme. More than 44m butterfly sightings scientifically collected in Britain since 1976 show that of the 58 native species recorded, 33 species have declined and 25 have increased in number. Continue reading...

More than half of Britain’s butterfly species in decline, monitoring scheme shows

UKBMS volunteers have walked a total of >1.5 million kilometres since 1976 at more than 7,600 sites to produce this incredible dataset.

That’s the equivalent of walking 40 times around the world – or to the moon and back twice.

Latest annual results: www.ukbms.org

3/3

Fab to see this classic mural of Camberwell Beauty in Burgess Park while doing @ukbms.bsky.social media interviews this morning

Many thanks - always good to get feedback!

50 years of the incredible UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme @ukbms.bsky.social - amazing citizen science showing the decline of the UK’s butterflies @savebutterflies.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

My first Coleophora of the year just now - C. discordella (Lotus Case-bearer) on Bird’s-foot Trefoil in my garden. Now my mothing year is properly up and running! #teammoth

A suggested ID for the skipper (from iNaturalist) is Erynnis montanus Mountainous Duskywing

If anyone has any ID ideas, I’d be very grateful!

Some South Korean wildlife 🇰🇷

Future scenarios for British biodiversity under climate and land-use change - Nature Communications Climate and land-use change are transforming biodiversity, yet national futures remain uncertain. The study projects growing extinction debts, but suggests that sustainable low-emission pathways can l...

Open access paper in @natcomms.nature.com: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Funded by NERC @ukri.org

@soilscholar.bsky.social @jmbecologist.bsky.social @drnickisaac.bsky.social @drstevenmwhite.bsky.social @richardfoxbc.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social

3/3

Fantastic that our paper using @ukbms.bsky.social data led by @robboyd.bsky.social @ukceh.bsky.social has been shortlisted for the best paper of the year prize! @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Totally agree with this - spring is the perfect time to give mothing a go if you’re a beginner. Great blog by @mikemoths.bsky.social covering some of the common species in the wing in gardens now

Exciting new paper developed from some great @savebutterflies.bsky.social international work over several years

Decent haul of moths in the garden last night including Acleris literana (Lichen Tortrix) and Powdered Quaker, both NFY #teammoth

In Leicestershire for a family celebration & the moths came out to party too, despite a chilly night. NFY Brindled Beauty and Pale Pinion, a lovely fresh Clouded Drab and, in the sunshine this afternoon, half a dozen Pammene giganteana (Early Oak Gall Moth) to pheromone lure. #teammoth #vc55moths